Saturday, 22 October 2005

“[T]he elusive greatness of the Divine sacrifice is the measure of the danger that threatened once but threatens no longer. There is in forgiven [people] a shuddering thankfulness, as they look back and draw breath in the peace of reconciliation, which seals the horror of the darkness in which we should have sunk but for the dearly paid mercy of God. Nondum considerasti quanti ponderis sit peccatum, said Anselm in his dialogue [‘you have not yet considered how great the weight of sin is’]; and the words have repeated themselves ever since, judging facile theories.”